Te Kākano Aotearoa Trust

Te Kākano Aotearoa Trust is a Wānaka community-based native plant nursery that specialises in propagating plants of local origin (Upper Clutha region) and uses these plants for localised native habitat restoration. We work with local community groups, schools, organisations & businesses in the effort to promote hands-on community land care.

Our mission is to inspire community native habitat through propagation, education and hands-on participation.

Nursery Sessions - Nursery volunteer days are open to all members of the public and are held every Tuesday & Wednesday from 9am-12pm (Spring/Summer) and 1pm-4pm (Autumn/Winter). These volunteer sessions teach propagation/cultivation techniques, leading on to planting and nurturing of the young plants in the wild and are guided by our Nursery Manager. We provide Venus coffee, tea and snacks for all our volunteers and you also get the chance to soak in the views on our deck.

Planting Projects - Each year, we identify and undertake habitat restoration projects to create islands of new native bush and enrich existing areas to provide precious habitat for our local wildlife. Work at these planting projects takes the form of maintenance days (watering and weeding) and planting days (putting the plants into the ground). Project days are on Saturdays with maintenance during the summer and planting between May and October. Dates are advertised in the calendar below, on our Facebook page, and in the Wānaka Messenger.

CALENDAR

The nursery sessions are held all year around, including

during the school holidays

If you have any queries contact us, info@tekakano.org.nz

Nursery Sessions

Every Tuesday & Wednesday

Times:

October 1 - March 31: 9am - 12

April 1 - September 30: 1pm - 4pm

We usually cancel nursery sessions on rainy days.

Anyone can volunteer at our nursery sessions, you don't need specific skills or experience. We will show you what to do. The nursery sessions are "drop in" style, come along when you can/want.

If you have any questions, get in touch!

Access to the nursery is through the QEII Reserve, either through the gate or over the nursery stile.

You will find some directions here to come to the nursery.

Planting sessions

Our planting season started on the 29th of April, and we aim to plant until September/October, depending on the season.

Our planting sessions are advertised on our Facebook page and we also email our volunteers who signed up to our mailing list. If you want to sign up, just get in touch with us!

We always reward our volunteers with a nice morning tea. We also supply tools and gardening gloves, but you are welcome to bring your own.

If you would like to be involved and would like to learn more about our work, please, do not hesitate to contact us!

Our next community planting is on Saturday 7th October from 10am to 12pm at Wishbone Falls.

It is the last planting session of the season, don't miss it!

Wishbone Falls are located on the Mt Aspiring Road, about 50kms from Wānaka.

We encourage you to carpool. If you would like to carpool, meet at 8.30am at the Waterfall Creek car park.

The planting site is located on the left hand side of the gravel road. Park on the side of the road, walk up along the creek until you reach the planting site. The waterfalls are signposted.

We will have tools and gardening gloves. We will finish the planting with a nice morning tea!

Save the dates!

Next planting sessions will be on:

7th October - Wishbone Falls, last planting of the season!

Maintenance sessions

We plant thousands of native plants every year and we need to make sure they thrive.

If you would like to help with watering or maintenance, please get in touch!

Alternatively, you can help by watering the plants thanks to the blue drums we have set up at some of our planting sites: Millennium track, lake shore, Eely Point, Albert Town (along the Clutha/Mata-au river, upstream from the bridge). You can also pull a few weeds growing near our native plants. Many hands make light work. Planting is only one part of the work!

Annual General Meeting

Our AGM was held on the 17th April 2023 at the Wānaka Recreation Centre.

You can read the 2022 annual report here, and the 2021 financial statements are there.